But there is one small, highly embarrassing problem with the event: host Germany has not been able to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions over the past 8 years, despite tens of billions invested in green energy. Last year German CO2 emissions in fact rose by some 6 million tonnes, from 902 million tonnes in 2015 to 908 million tonnes.

Die Welt’s Wetzel reports that the timing of the news “couldn’t be worse” and that it is “embarrassing” for host Germany which was once considered a shining example of how to transition over to a clean energy economy.

The reality id that most of Germany’s reductions since 1990 resulted from the shutting down the filthy communist-run industries in former East Germany — something that was achieved by modern industry. Very little progress has in fact been made since 2000, when the renewable energy drive began in earnest — despite the now over 1 trillion euros committed thus far.

German skeptic site Science Skeptical here presents Germany’s greenhouse gas emissions measured in CO2 tonnes since 1990, when german reunification took place:

German greenhouse gas emissions (CO2 equivalent in millions of tonnes) have not fallen since 2009. Source: Science Skeptical,German Office of Environment, UBA

Die Welt’s Wetzel not only writes that Germany’s progress in reductions is embarrassing, but that the country will also surely miss its 2020 reductions target of 40%. Currently Germany has cut reductions by 27.6%, and that has not gone anywhere since 2009. Again, the lion’s share of reductions came from shutting down East German communist-run industry.

The Berlin climate summit will be joined by leading German federal ministers from Angela Merkel’s government, such as Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel, Economics Minister Brigitte Zypries and Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks, all from Merkel’s coalition SPD socialist partner. There’s no mention if any minister from Merkel’s CDU party will bother attending.

Wetzel writes that if the global community wishes to meet its 2050 targets, the rate at which renewable energy gets installed will have to increase 7-fold!

As Science Skeptical writes that is likely not going to happen as the planet continues to gallop from one emissions record to another.

Global emissions set a new record in 2015.Source: German Office of Environment, UBA.

The claim by climate activists that the world can wean itself off fossil fuels is nothing more than a pie-in-the-sky illusion.

Natural gas is the future? Is that the lesson? You want to reduce something so you choose an alternative that produces less of it instead of an alternative that produces nothing of it? Hmm … sounds sane 😉

Climate gas made me chuckle and reminded me that many
years ago we were told that Pythagoras banned beans.
“Climate gas” was not the concern.
Beans were used in casting votes by balloting; so he meant stay out of
the intrigues of politics.
And the corollary:
Politicians ought to stay out of energy discussions.

[…] Script: Ironically, Germany’s efforts to cut emission has resulted in an increase in CO2 production. It appears having to have all those backup coal powered plants to support the wind and solar farms […]

3. Germany is exporting massive amounts of electricity (the CO2 produced here is replacing sources in other countries).

In the real world, Germany has dramatically changed its electricity production and has also completely changed rules for new houses. These basically passive houses will save a ton of CO2 over the next decades.

The global emission graph is totally absurd. Just look at the giant red “record” sign over a bar that is basically not different from the next one.

In the real world, the tide has turned. Investments into fossil fuels have become real risky, because the expansion phase is basically over and it is unclear if you will get your investment back. That graph should worry fossil fuels companies to their very core (and that is basically a reason for the lack of progress in Germany: the energy giants are on the brink of collapse)

It is inevitable that German CO2 emissions will not decrease in the foreseeable future due to Germany’s policy on migration.

Germany emits about 10mt of CO2 per capita, thus by introducing say 1 million migrants, Germany’s CO2 emissions will increase up to about 10 million mt as these new migrants are housed, buy cars, increase traffic jams, require more buses/trains/more demands on public transport, require schools for their childrens, more shops, hospitals, more farmed products, electricity/gas for heating, cooling etc.

Unless these new migrants are forced to go without the life style enjoyed by Germans which deprivation would lead to much social unrest, it is inevitable that Germany will niot be reducing its CO2 emissions any time soon, no matter how many windmills it builds, roof top solar panels are installed.

To add to the problem, Germany is phasing out nuclear which is the only base load non CO2 emitting power source.

You mentioned the massive exports (around 10% of our produced electricity was exported to neighboring countries) and that might be a far bigger reason for increases in CO2 output. Traffic didn’t really increase and certainly hasn’t gotten less efficient over the years.

About the CO2 output of the world. With countries like India and China catching up and only commiting to “peak CO2” in 2030 we will continue to see increase in CO2 output for quite some time. On the other hand China seems determined to become the leader in green tech and they are on a very good path to that goal. I have read that they want to install wind/solar power equivalent to the entire US power generation capacity until then … I am sure AndyG55 will freak out about the stability of those grids and spread alarmism about the coming blackouts 😉

Coal power all over the world is in dramatic decline. You caqn feel the panic in the coal spokesmans words, trying to defend his power source while 50% of planned coal, power plants got cancelled last year.